Chris: I know exactly who she is.
Scarlett: Me? Then who am l?
Chris: Scarlett Logan, lost her mom at her birth. Lost her father at the age of five. Got adopted. By the one and only Steve Logan. Who sent her to a boarding school in UK at the same age. She came back to London after 10 years, yet stayed separate. After graduating high school at 18. Started college at 19, which she is now. But her dad wanted her to get married. He dropped her out. She left her wedding which was Tuesday. This is where our boss comes from. Who was working part-time with her, and seemed to had taken an interest? So, he helped her by bringing her here. Our boss was going to return to gang activities anyway. So, he left the part-time job as well.
There was an awkward silence. Liam had his mouth open as he understood everything. Kevin was also surprised as he didn't know much about it.
Scarlett: I think you know more about me than I know about myself.
She joked. But this was serious, this guy who looked normal just a few hours ago, found out so much about her. There was a chance he could find her real identity.
Jimmy: Scarlett, I didn't know more than half of this.
Scarlett: You never asked me about my past.
Jimmy: You could've just told me.
Scarlett: I'm not an open person, you know that.
Chris: I assure you that, she didn't even open up to her middle school best friend Christy.
Scarlett choked on the food she was eating. Jimmy passed her a water bottle. After recovering from the shock she looked at Chris.
Scarlett: You even know that? Do you know who was my crush in middle school?
Chris: Wasn't your English teacher? And it could also be seniors who played basketball.
Jimmy: Scarlett, you had a thing for teachers?
Scarlett: N-no, just basketball players! What else do you know? My biggest enemy?
Chris: Maya, when you were in high school.
Scarlett: Favourite shop?
Chris: Delicious Sweet, near your apartment.
Scarlett: Favourite drink?
Chris: Americano.
Scarlett: Favourite actor?
Chris: Brad Pitt.
Kevin: Wow!
Scarlett: Current best friend?
Chris: Uhh…Don't know.
Scarlett: Finally something you don't know.
Chris: I'm not that interested in your life.
Scarlett: Yet your not? I regret coming here now. You guys are no joke.
Chris: We're Bulletproof Gang. We might not look like it, but we're capable of unimaginable things.
Kevin: Yah! What do you mean we don't look like it? Don't I seem cool?
They had begun arguing, like a normal friend. Scarlett could tell Chris is a dangerous fellow. If she didn't balance her fake identity since she was little, she would be dead now. Scarlett looked confused at Jimmy.
Scarlett: Do I really have to live with them?
Jimmy: Scarlett, they are like my brothers. I will never tolerate anything against them.
Scarlett: Sorry, I didn't mean any offence.
Jimmy: It's okay.
Scarlett: So, all of you were meant to become gangsters. Because of your families right?
Liam: That's right, Jimmy's family deal with leadership since the beginning. When this gang was made, our ancestors helped him.
Scarlett: Didn't you ever think of this as something wrong.
Chris: This is something we like to do if we don't. We feel lifeless.
Scarlett nodded acting as she understood. She took a deep breath.
Scarlett: I thought about this a lot, the whole time yesterday. Can you guys teach me gang stuff?
There was a moment of quietness when all of them just stared at Scarlett. Soon they burst out laughing. Even Jimmy let out a laugh.
Jimmy: Scarlett, you're just a little girl who, yet doesn't even know how dangerous our world is.
Chris: Besides, what reason do you have?
Scarlett: I left my foster family and the place I used to live. I don't have anyone else. I had to break contact with my friends to keep them out of danger. I have nowhere to go. No job. No college anymore. The only place I'm safe is here. Within the protection of this gang. So, I thought instead of being a burden to Jimmy, why not help him out.
When Scarlett was speaking, they kept looking at each other. This got Scarlett a bit nervous. Had they figured something out?
Jimmy: Scarlett, your not a burden to me.
Kevin: What he means to say is, you can't do that. You don't have any skills.
Scarlett: Well I've never been into bad stuff. But I do have a black belt in Karate since I was 16.
Kevin: Oh Princess, you know how to fight? I don't believe it.
Chris: It's true, she was good at karate.
Kevin: But still you need to be clever and—
Scarlett: My IQ is 146.
Once again, silence.
Liam: Don't you think we should put her under consideration.
Jimmy: Impossible. I won't accept that.
Scarlett: But Jimmy…
Jimmy: I said I won't accept it.
There had anger in his voice. Scarlett looked down. Jimmy picked up his phone.
Jimmy: Bring him in. Let me show you a piece of what we do.
Soon the door opened. A couple of men in black suits entered. Along with a beaten-up man. Scarlett knew this guy. He was a high ranked police officer. Scarlett was startled. This man also knew her. As his team often helped Scarlett in her missions where she needed the police's help. He looked up at Scarlett, his eyes narrowed. 'What is she doing here' is what he was probably thinking. Scarlett was in trouble, she had to do something. Jimmy handed a gun over to Scarlett.
Jimmy: Go kill him.
Scarlett: What??? Why?
Jimmy: That's not important. You have to do what I tell you to.
Scarlett grabbed the gun and got up. She walked to where the man was standing. Scarlett had to get rid of him, he knew who she was.
???: W-wait, your…
Scarlett: I'm sorry I have to do this.
Scarlett pointed the gun at him. Her hands were shaky. She was halfway done with pulling the trigger but she still didn't shoot.
Chris: The clock is ticking.
Scarlett put the gun down, suddenly the guy ran towards her and tried to grab the gun. Scarlett could shoot him but still, she didn't. Instead, she dodged him and hit the back of his head really hard with the gun. This made him faint. A clap was heard to where Kevin was standing.
Kevin: Not what we wanted but still, impressive.
Scarlett: I'm sorry, I can't kill someone. Especially if they're innocent.
Jimmy: So, what your saying is, you'll kill someone who is not innocent?
Scarlett: I'm not sure.
Liam: This guy used to be our dog. But it turned out he leaked our information to EIA.
He took the gun.
Liam: He was a traitor.
He shoots the unconscious guy.
Scarlett looked displeased. She walked back upstairs without saying anything. Of course, she had to look like this was the first time she saw someone die.
Chris: Has potential but can't take lives, that's such a waste.
Liam: I'd say we should put her in the planning squad. Because like she said, sitting here all day probably sucks. Besides we need someone reliable to report while Jayden is gone. It'll make it easier.
Chris: If she is reliable.
* A couple of days later *
Scarlett was in the car with Jimmy, she had no idea where they were going. she had avoided Jimmy for the past couple of days. Not that he's always home but he came more often than before. Probably to check up on Scarlett. She acted like she was angry about what happened the other day.
Scarlett: Where are we going?
Jimmy: Oh, you decided to speak?
Scarlett: Just trying to make sure I'm not gonna experience another death.
Jimmy: I'm sorry for what Liam did in front of you.
Scarlett: I know it was Liam, but I get the feeling that even you...
Jimmy: That I do the same? Wrong. I do worse than that.
Scarlett: Do you really have to?
Jimmy: Scarlett, we're going to the UK.
Scarlett: UK? Why?
Jimmy: To meet my family.
Scarlett: You have a family.
Jimmy: Yes, a big one. They're the ones for whom I do what I do.
Scarlett had to keep up with a mad attitude. But she was quite happy. If EIA knows about Jimmy's family then things would get way easier. Finally, she was getting somewhere with her mission rather than staying home all day. After driving for a few miles, the car stopped on the ground. And they walked into a helicopter. the whole ride was really quiet. Jimmy was sitting opposite Scarlett. She kept looking outside and he kept looking at her.
At first, they just landed on the large green grassed ground. she didn't question him. they had started to walk and eventually reached a place. This place had a lot of large house like buildings. There were so many teenagers sitting on the grounds, they were talking until they noticed Jimmy. Jimmy forwarded along with Scarlett and smiles at whoever he saw on the way. Everyone was also waving at him. Scarlett was so confused at this rate.
Scarlett: Why are we here? Is this a university?
Jimmy: No, it's not.
Scarlett: Why are we here?
Before Jimmy could answer Scarlett's question, a boy ran to where they were walking. He looked around 15 years old.
???: I'm sorry! I heard that we were to not disturb you when you come because you'll be accompanying a guest. But I really wanted to meet you.
Jimmy: It's okay, I don't think I met you before.
The boy introduced himself and said hello to you and kept talking about how good happy he was.
???: Brother, seeing you in person is like a dream. I really look up to you!
Soon the talk ended and they kept walking forward.
Scarlett: You're so famous here, what is this place?
Soon even little kids started to come out happy and they all waved at Jimmy.
Scarlett: A shelter? An orphanage?
Jimmy: That's what people call it, to kids here, it's just a home. And to me they're family.
Scarlett: And what's this got to do with you? (They took a bench)
Jimmy: I originally started gang stuff when I was 16 years old. At 17, my dad handed over this shelter to me. This had remained a secret only elders knew.
Scarlett: Wait a minute, so all this belongs to you?
Jimmy: I'm just carrying out what my forefathers had been doing for years.
Scarlett: But why?
Jimmy: It's a pretty common right, rich people enjoy luxury, waste money like it's nothing. And then we have the other side, people dying because they can't pay their surgery bills. Parents throwing their children away because they are a burden. People who are murdered by poverty, yet the people on the top don't care, they continue to grow money in their gardens. Eating it all away. And here's what the Parker gang does. We steal money from the rich, use it for the poor. That's how we run this shelter. this provides free schooling for the kids, make sure they get enough food and money. At 18, they are given a home of their own and enough money for the next few years of their lives.
Scarlett: So you make good use of the money you get. What about killing, that's destroying someone's life.
Jimmy: We don't mind destroying worthless lives for worthful ones. This is the UK branch. In the past 10 years, 15 branches across England, 10 across America and 20 across other countries were opened.
Scarlett: T-That's more than forty. Even in other countries?
Jimmy: Our gang is the biggest in the world. Of course, we have branches in other countries too. I've made someone else the CEO. But most of the kids here know me as a good donator. They look up at me, just like the boy you saw. Had they known I am a gang leader. Do you think they would feel the same way?
Scarlett: Is that why you hiding your identity?
Jimmy: Yeah.
Scarlett: Why are you telling me this? Why are you showing me this all?
Jimmy: Because you were the first one to say. That I had reasons for doing what I do.
Scarlett: I knew you were a good person. Now that I know about all this, I really want to work with the gang.
Jimmy: Scarlett, I wanted to give you a safe place. Not drag you into illegal stuff.
Scarlett: Illegal? I don't care. This is not wrong.
Jimmy: I have many people to help me with this.
Scarlett: But I want to stay next to you and tell you that every step you take. Is right?
Jimmy took a deep breath and got up.
Jimmy: Let's get going.
.....
Soon after getting into one of Jimmy's cars, the driver drove them off to Very-Rich-Unrealistic looking mansion.
Scarlett: Jimmy, is this your house?
Jimmy: Yes.
Scarlett: How many houses do you have, exactly?
Jimmy: It's better if you don't know, but this is my main house.
Scarlett: It's really beautiful.
Scarlett splashed water on her and looked in the mirror. She looked super confused and bothered. What was bothering her?
Scarlett: Why is he so right? No matter how you look at it.
She looked lost in her thoughts, her worried expression soon got serious and she washed her face one last time. Again she looked up in the mirror.
Scarlett: But EIA is always right. Agent 007, do your job. Put these useless emotions aside.
She got out and entered her room.
Scarlett stepped out of her room, she felt hungry so she started to search for the kitchen. No matter which door she opened, she couldn't find it. All of them were either guest rooms, dining rooms and everything except a kitchen. Scarlett went upstairs and she opened the first door she could find and her eyes landed on Jimmy whose hairs were wet. It looked like he had taken a bath. he was wearing a rob which was half-open.
Scarlett could see his perfectly structured abs. she got a little lost there, when she snapped back into reality, he was already in front of her.
Scarlett: Uh sorry, I was looking for the kitchen.
Jimmy: It's the 3rd door to the right.
Scarlett: Oh thanks, I'll take my leave.
Scarlett turned around, she didn't know why she felt nervous. This feeling was new for her. Just when she was about to walk, she felt an arm around her waist...."I don't think I'll let you leave"
* To be continue*
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